DuRP: Dual-Stage Physics-Embedded Learning for Joint Radiance and Polarization Restoration

Polarization information is valuable for many computer vision applications. However, in hazy environments, polarization information is severely attenuated due to the degradation of captured polarized images. Existing dehazing methods struggle to effectively restore polarization information, as single-image methods are unaware of polarization, and polarization-based methods are constrained by the traditional polarization models. These deficiencies lead to inaccurate polarimetric signatures and physical inconsistencies in scattering environments. To overcome these limitations, we propose DuRP, a dual-stage physics-embedded learning framework for joint restoration of scene radiance and polarization information. Specifically, we derive generalized polarization physics models that relax the ideal assumptions of traditional theory to provide a more precise foundation for the joint restoration of polarimetric and amplitude information. We then design a dual-stage neural network to estimate latent physical parameters through differentiable operators, ensuring that both the polarimetric state and radiance are accurately recovered. Experimental results show that DuRP achieves state-of-the-art performance in joint restoration and significantly enhances polarization-based vision tasks. Project website: https://DuRP.github.io/.